Trump ‘Seriously Considering’ Turning America’s Former Adversary Into 51st State

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he’s serious about officially making Venezuela and its massive oil reserves part of the United States.

In a phone call with Fox News anchor John Roberts, Trump said he is “seriously considering a move to make Venezuela the 51st state.” Trump emphasized Venezuela’s oil reserves and discussed his administration’s focus on the South American country, adding, “Venezuela loves Trump.”

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, responded to Trump’s remark and told reporters that Venezuela wants to remain independent.

“That would never have been considered, because if there is one thing we Venezuelan men and women have, it is that we love our independence process, we love our heroes and heroines of independence,” she said.

Rodríguez added that her government would continue to work with the United States in “a diplomatic cooperation agenda.”

For Venezuela to become a U.S. state, Congress would have to pass a law via the Admissions Clause of the Constitution, which would then require the president’s signature. Former territories, such as Alaska and Hawaii, also held referendums for residents to vote on statehood before they became part of the union.

Trump floated Venezuelan statehood as his administration continues to work with the country’s acting president after dictator Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces and brought back to the United States to stand trial on narco-terrorism charges. Trump suggested in March that he was pleased with Rodríguez as oil flows from Venezuela to the United States and Europe, with the South American country’s exports hitting a seven-year high last month. The U.S. Treasury Department is currently managing the proceeds from Venezuelan oil sales in specialized accounts.

Since Trump took major military and economic action on Venezuela in early January, the United States has become the top destination for Venezuelan oil, with around 445,000 barrels per day exported to America in April, Reuters reported. Last month, Chevron said that the increased oil imports from Venezuela are helping mitigate rising fuel costs due to the war in Iran.

Andrew Walz, Chevron’s president of global refining, said the oil imports are helping “bring revenue to Venezuela” and “helping Americans.”

The Trump administration also reopened commercial flights to Venezuela late last month, with direct flights to Caracas set to become available at major airports across the United States in the coming months.

Trump first hinted at making Venezuela the 51st state in a Truth Social post in March when he wrote, “Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?”

While Trump claims that Venezuelan statehood is a serious consideration inside the Oval Office, the president has often suggested that the United States would take over foreign countries or territories.

As the president pressured Canada on trade last year, he regularly suggested that America’s neighbor could become the 51st state. He has also pushed for Greenland to become a U.S. territory for national security purposes and suggested that the United States could take over Gaza following the Israel-Hamas war.